Sahih Muslim Hadith no:
4456
Narrated by:
Abdullah ibn Abbas
It has been narrated on the authority of Yazid ibn Hurmuz that Najdah wrote to Ibn Abbas inquiring of him five things. Ibn Abbas said: If I had not the fear of committing (sin) in concealing knowledge, I should not have written to him. Najdah wrote to him saying (after praising the Almighty and invoking blessings on the Holy Prophet): Tell me whether the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) took women to participate with him in Jihad; (if he did), whether he allotted them a regular share from the booty; whether he killed the children (of the enemy in the war); how long an orphan would be entitled to consideration as such; and for whom the Khums (fifth part of the booty) was meant. Ibn Abbas wrote to him: You have written asking me whether the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) took women with him to participate in Jihad. He did take them to the battle and sometimes he fought alongside them. They would treat the wounded and were given a reward from the booty, but he did not assign any regular share for them. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) did not kill the children of the enemy, so you should not kill the children. Also you have written to me asking me when the orphanhood of an orphan comes to an end. By my life, if a young man has become bearded but is still incapable of obtaining his due from others as well as meeting his obligations towards them, (he is yet an orphan to be treated as such), but when he can look after his interests like grown-up people, he is no longer an orphan. You have written to me, inquiring about Khums, namely, for whom it is meant. (In this connection) we (the kinsmen of the Messenger of Allah) used to say: It is for us, but those people (i.e. Banu Umayyah) have denied it to us.